[CentOS] Formatting an external USB drive

----- Original Message -----
> From: "Todd Cary" <todd at aristesoftware.com>
> To: centos at centos.org
> Sent: Wednesday, October 5, 2011 6:43:10 PM
> Subject: Re: [CentOS] Formatting an external USB drive
> 
> Dave -
> 
> I recieved this response and I am not sure what the next step
> should be:
> 
> [root at centos5 todd]# /sbin/fdisk /dev/sda1
> 
> The number of cylinders for this disk is set to 30514.
> There is nothing wrong with that, but this is larger than 1024,
> and could in certain setups cause problems with:
> 1) software that runs at boot time (e.g., old versions of LILO)
> 2) booting and partitioning software from other OSs
>     (e.g., DOS FDISK, OS/2 FDISK)
> 
> Command (m for help):
> [root at centos5 todd]#
> 
> 
> Todd
> 
> 



You are trying to run fdisk on the first partition of /dev/sda. Unless you are using an old PATA drive for booting your USB drive should not be /dev/sda. Before you go any further do the following commands and report back with the output.

fdisk -l

df -h

David.
> 
> On 10/5/2011 4:08 PM, David C. Miller wrote:
> > ----- Original Message -----
> >> From: "Todd Cary"<todd at aristesoftware.com>
> >> To: "CentOS mailing list"<centos at centos.org>
> >> Sent: Wednesday, October 5, 2011 3:34:54 PM
> >> Subject: [CentOS] Formatting an external USB drive
> >>
> >> I have an external USB drive that was formatted with NTFS and I
> >> want to use it to backup some files from my Centos 5.5 system.
> >>
> >> When I check my documentation, I am not certain of the best way
> >> to do the formatting.
> >>
> >> Suggestions welcomed....
> >>
> >> Todd
> >>
> >> --
> >> Ariste Software
> >> Petaluma, CA 94952
> >>
> >> http://www.aristesoftware.com
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> CentOS mailing list
> >> CentOS at centos.org
> >> http://lists.centos.org/mailman/listinfo/centos
> >>
> >
> > Use fdisk as root. Before plugging the drive in type "fdisk -l" to
> > get a listing of drives already attached. Plug the drive in and
> > after a minute type "fdisk -l" to see the new drive listed. It
> > will be something like /dev/sdX where X is the next letter in the
> > order. to set the drive up type "fdisk /dev/sdX". To clear the
> > partition table type o and hit return and then type w and hit
> > return. Now type "fdisk /dev/sdX" again. Type n and hit return.
> > Type p and hit return. Type 1 and hit return. Hit return twice
> > more to use the whole disk. Type w and hit return to finish. To
> > format it type "mkfs.ext3 -L usb-disk /dev/sdX1" and hit return to
> > format the partition as ext3. Create a directory to mount the disk
> > to "mkdir /backup-disk" and then mount it "mount LABEL=usb-disk
> > /backup-disk". To have it auto mount at boot edit the /etc/fstab
> > file and add.
> >
> > LABEL=usb-disk /backup-disk ext3 defaults 0 0
> >
> > David.
> > _______________________________________________
> > CentOS mailing list
> > CentOS at centos.org
> > http://lists.centos.org/mailman/listinfo/centos
> >
> >
> 
> --
> Ariste Software
> Petaluma, CA 94952
> 
> http://www.aristesoftware.com
> 
> _______________________________________________
> CentOS mailing list
> CentOS at centos.org
> http://lists.centos.org/mailman/listinfo/centos
>